Surprise! Freezing Rain Advisory issued for tomorrow

There's never a dull moment when it comes to the weather. The National Weather Service has just posted a Freezing Rain Advisory for Cape Girardeau and surrounding counties. Here's the text of the bulletin:

...FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM TO 6 PM CST TUESDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PADUCAH HAS ISSUED A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM TO 6 PM CST TUESDAY. THE ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR AREAS WEST OF A LINE FROM MOUNT CARMEL ILLINOIS...TO PADUCAH KENTUCKY...TO NEW MADRID MISSOURI.

LIGHT FREEZING RAIN IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP BY LATE MORNING ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI...SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AND FAR WEST KENTUCKY...WITH THE BEST CHANCE OF LIGHT FREEZING RAIN EXPECTED TUESDAY AFTERNOON. THERE MAY BE SLEET AS WELL EARLY ON...BEFORE TRANSITIONING TO ALL LIGHT FREEZING RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON.

THE PRECIPITATION IS FORECAST TO BE VERY LIGHT INITIALLY...WITH DRY AIR IN THE LOWER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE EXPECTED TO HOLD THE HUMIDITY DOWN THROUGH MIDDAY. HOWEVER EVEN LIGHT FREEZING PRECIPITATION CAN CAUSE TRAVEL CONCERNS. BY AFTERNOON THE PRECIPITATION SHOULD INCREASE SLIGHTLY IN INTENSITY WITH TEMPERATURES RANGING FROM 29 TO 32 DEGREES.

AS THE AFTERNOON PROGRESSES...TEMPERATURES SHOULD RISE VERY SLOWLY. BY SUNSET...TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST TO BE AT OR ABOVE FREEZING MOST AREAS.

FOR THOSE THAT HAVE A TUESDAY MORNING COMMUTE...THE PRECIPITATION

SHOULD HOLD OFF UNTIL LATER IN THE MORNING. HOWEVER THOSE WITH HOLIDAY TRAVEL PLANS ACROSS THE REGION...ESPECIALLY DURING THE AFTERNOON...SHOULD WATCH FOR MINOR ICING ON ROADWAYS. ICING OF SIDEWALKS AND ELEVATED SURFACES IS POSSIBLE AS WELL.

Alas, temperatures should rise well above freezing tomorrow night, so we're still on track for a not-so-White Christmas.